A Management Model for Sustainability in the Financial Sector

Abstract

Since 1998, Banco Real, the third largest private bank in Brazil, has relentlessly worked to create a ‘new bank for a new society’, by integrating social, environmental and economic aspects into the business. Its management model was adopted in 2001, evolved in 2006 and is used to guide the organisation towards achieving its ambitious vision and mission. The model focuses the organisation on creating sustainable results by creating value for and contributing to the total satisfaction of the organisation’s key stakeholders – employees, clients, suppliers, shareholders, society and the environment. The individual is at the centre of the model because of a strong belief that each individual plays a role as a change agent in contributing to the evolution of society. The case of Banco Real demonstrates that the integration of sustainability into its model is a win-win-win strategy for shareholders, clients, employees and other stakeholders.